Paint stirrer

ABSTRACT

A device for stirring paint within sealed cans in which the can is given an unequal rocking motion about a pivot point causing the paint to circulate in one direction within the can.

United States Patent [72] inventor William W. Stefany Bernardsville, NJ.[21] Appl. No. 767,779 [22] Filed Oct. 15, 1968 [45] Patented Jan. 5,1971 [73] Assignee Red Devil Incorporated Union, NJ. a corporation ofNew Jersey [54] PAINT STIRRER 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 259/56 B0lfll/00 Field of Search 259/54, 56, 72, 75

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,908,561 5/1933 Schletz etal 259/56 3,437,317 4/1969 Micin 259/75 Primary Examiner-William I.Price Attorney-Albert F. Kronman ABSTRACT: A device for stirring paintwithin sealed cansjn which the can is given an unequal rocking motionabout a pivot point causing the paint to circulate in one directionwithin the can.

PATENTEDJAN 5m $552,723

SHEET 3 OF 3 llll will 1 PAINT STIRRER BACKGROUND or; THE INVENTIONWhere it is desired to homogenize or mix the contents of a can of paintor other viscous or separable material it has been the practice to clampthe sealed can within a motor driven shaker. Because of the violentaction of such shaking devices it was necessary that they be securelyanchored to the floor making their installation substantially permanent.In addition, a very powerful clamp was required to secure the can inplace during the shaking operation. Such clamping devices required aconsiderable time to tighten and loosen during each'mixing cycle.Opening a can to add a desired amount of coloring or tinting materialwas also a time consuming operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, in a preferredembodiment, employs two spaced rockablecra'dle" members mounted upon arigid frame. A series of can receiving wells are providedin the eradlemembers. Each of the cradle members are coupled to a motor driven crankwhich rocks them first in one direction and then in the oppositedirection about a pivot point. The travel in one direction is governedby the crank to exceed the travel in the opposite direction. As a resultof the dissimilar forces acting upon the cans 'within the cradles, thecontents of the cans is caused to flow or circulate in one direction,rapidly stirring and homogenizing the contents.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTReferring to the drawings, l indicates a paint stirring machine having aframe 11. The frame 11 consists of a base 12 formed of four channel ironmembers 13 welded together into a rectangular configuration. Upstandingangle iron members 14 are welded to the base 12 at each corner thereof.Cross top braces 15 made of angle iron are welded to the upstandingmembers 14 at each end of the frame I1.

Power for the paint stirring machine is provided by an electric motor 16which is supported on a small platform 17 formed of channel iron stripsweldedat each end across the.

base 12. The motor 16 is bolted to the strips of the platform 17 in theusual manner.

Longitudinally disposed angle iron strips 18 are welded at each end tothe upstanding members 14 between the base 12 and the top braces 15.Spaced transverse channel members 19 are secured to the strips 18 as bywelding. Two, spaced pillow blocks 20, 21 are bolted to the channelmembers 19 to freely support a shaft 22.

'A pulley 23 is keyed or otherwise secured to one end of the shaft 22and a cranklike eccentric 24 is secured to the opposite end of theshaft. Rotary power is transferred from the motor 16 by way of itsoutput shaft pulley 25 and V-belts 26 to the pulley 23. 1

Two sets of spaced pillow blocks 27, 28 are bolted to the cross topbraces l5 at each end of the frame 11. The pillow blocks 27, 28 serve toswingably support two cradles 29, 30.

The cradles 29, 30, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are made up of aseries of segments 31 welded or otherwise secured together laterally.Each segment, which may be a metal casting, includes a paint canreceiving well 32 and outwardly extending stub shafts 33. Adjacentsegments are secured together at the stub shafts 33 to form an elongatedcradle assembly. Friction strips 42 of rubber or the like are cementedwithin each well 32 to retain the cans therein.

The stub shafts 33 are located below the transverse center line of thewells 32 as best shown in FIG. I. This disposition of the stub shafts 33contributes to the circulating action of the paint within the cans asitimparts av whip to the upper part of the cans as they rock from side toside.

The wells 32 may be provided with recesses 34 at the top thereof toreceive the outwardly extending bail securing portion of the can as bestshown in FIG. I. One or more of the receiving wells 32 may also beprovided with a reduced diameter well 35 in the bottom thereof toreceive cans of smaller diameter such as quart size cans.

I An actuating lever 36 best shown in FIGS. 1. 3, and 4, is secured'atone end to the axle members 37 which are keyed or otherwise secured tothe outermost stub shafts 33 of the cradle 29, 30, and which arejournaled within the sets of pillow blocks 27, 28. The free end of thelevers 36 are coupled to a .link 38, 39, which in turn is journaled upona drive rod carried by the cranklike eccentric 24.

The operation of the present device will be apparent from theforegoirigand an examination of FIGS. 3 and 4. With the paint cansplaced within the wells 32 of the cradles 2 9, 30, the motor 16 isstarted and the rotary power transferred from the motor pulley 25 to thepulley 23 by way of the V-belts 26. The shaft 22 is rotated carryingwith'it the eccentric crank 24. As the drive pin 40 turns with the crank24, the arms 38, 39 are caused to move in a generally vertical up anddown motion imparting a rocking motion to the cradles 29, 30, by way ofthe levers 36. By reason of the geometry of the arms 38, 39, and thelevers 36, the cradles 29, 30, will be caused to rock through a greaterangle in one direction than in the other. As shown'in FIG. 3, the wells32 will swing through an angle of 21 on the outward travel and 15 on theinward travel. This dissimilar travel of the wells and the cans thereinresults in a greater force acting upon the contents of the can duringonehalf of the cycle than during the other. The contents are thusmaterial within the can.

The symmetric arrangement of the cradles 29, 30, about the stirringdevice permits thedevice to operate without undue vibration and withoutmoving around on the floor. It has been found that conventional rubbersuction cups 41 secured to the base of the device will keep it in placeduring use.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a devicefor stirring paint or other viscous materials capable of handling alarge number of cans simultaneously or individual cans if requiredwithout the necessity for clamping each can into the machine. The cancontents can be mixed in a short period of time and can lids can beopened and closed without the need for operating can clampingstructures.

Iclaim:

1. 'A stirring machine for cans of viscous material comprising a frame,spaced cradle members rockably supported by said frame, asource ofrotary power on said frame, crank means driven by said rotary powersource, a link coupled to the crank means at one end and to one-of thecradle means at its other end, at least one can receiving well in eachof the cradle members and outwardly extending stub shafts secured to thewell below the transverse center line of the well to rockably supportthe well.

2. A machine according to claiml in which an actuating lever is securedto the end of each cradle member and freely coupled tothe end of thelink. I

3. A machine according to claim 2 .in which the combined crank means,link and actuating lever impart a rotationto the cradle members aboutthe vertical of 15 in one direction and 20 in the opposite direction.

1. A stirring machine for cans of viscous material comprising a frame,spaced cradle members rockably supported by said frame, a source ofrotary power on said frame, crank means driven by said rotary powersource, a link coupled to the crank means at one end and to one of thecradle means at its other end, at least one can receiving well in eachof the cradle members and outwardly extending stub shafts secured to thewell below the transverse center line of the well to rockably supportthe well.
 2. A machine according to claim 1 in which an actuating leveris seCured to the end of each cradle member and freely coupled to theend of the link.
 3. A machine according to claim 2 in which the combinedcrank means, link and actuating lever impart a rotation to the cradlemembers about the vertical of 15* in one direction and 20* in theopposite direction.